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Money talks unfortunately... The middle eastern countries clearly see money in cycling with the Bahrain team signing Nibbles for next year, they don't do things by half...
Should be an interesting race if only to see how the Germans deal with Kittel and Gripel, there was talk of them leaving one at home so there was no mixed focus on the day, it's clearly a sprinters course so either must fancy their chance, Bouhanni and Kristoff are dark horses and Sagan could get lucky.... I'll tune in for the last fifteen kms for sure. That said its so flat, it just needs one cheeky gust of wind, echelons form, a break develops....
From the sound of it they are concerned about the heat, it's excited to be high thirties this weekend in Doha, unlikely it will be much cooler next weekend for the race so they're talking of reducing the race length by over half distance, talk of just 100kms...
Should be an interesting race if only to see how the Germans deal with Kittel and Gripel, there was talk of them leaving one at home so there was no mixed focus on the day, it's clearly a sprinters course so either must fancy their chance, Bouhanni and Kristoff are dark horses and Sagan could get lucky.... I'll tune in for the last fifteen kms for sure. That said its so flat, it just needs one cheeky gust of wind, echelons form, a break develops....
From the sound of it they are concerned about the heat, it's excited to be high thirties this weekend in Doha, unlikely it will be much cooler next weekend for the race so they're talking of reducing the race length by over half distance, talk of just 100kms...
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 4th October 22:07
pablo said:
Money talks unfortunately... The middle eastern countries clearly see money in cycling with the Bahrain team signing Nibbles for next year, they don't do things by half...
Should be an interesting race if only to see how the Germans deal with Kittel and Gripel, there was talk of them leaving one at home so there was no mixed focus on the day, it's clearly a sprinters course so either must fancy their chance, Bouhanni and Kristoff are dark horses and Sagan could get lucky.... I'll tune in for the last fifteen kms for sure. That said its so flat, it just needs one cheeky gust of wind, echelons form, a break develops....
From the sound of it they are concerned about the heat, it's excited to be high thirties this weekend in Doha, unlikely it will be much cooler next weekend for the race so they're talking of reducing the race length by over half distance, talk of just 100kms...
surprised they haven't changed the time to be a night race or wired up a couple of hundred Turbos and stick them all in A/C cooled Gym. The World Road Race Championship is the pinnacle and it shouldn't be sold to the highest bidder.Should be an interesting race if only to see how the Germans deal with Kittel and Gripel, there was talk of them leaving one at home so there was no mixed focus on the day, it's clearly a sprinters course so either must fancy their chance, Bouhanni and Kristoff are dark horses and Sagan could get lucky.... I'll tune in for the last fifteen kms for sure. That said its so flat, it just needs one cheeky gust of wind, echelons form, a break develops....
From the sound of it they are concerned about the heat, it's excited to be high thirties this weekend in Doha, unlikely it will be much cooler next weekend for the race so they're talking of reducing the race length by over half distance, talk of just 100kms...
Edited by pablo on Tuesday 4th October 22:07
Excellent news - Yorkshire will host the 2019 Worlds
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/yorkshire-wins-bid...
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/yorkshire-wins-bid...
Unexpected Item In Bagging Area said:
Excellent news - Yorkshire will host the 2019 Worlds
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/yorkshire-wins-bid...
I'm going.http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/yorkshire-wins-bid...
I'll take the kids out of school if I need to, I'm going.
Unexpected Item In Bagging Area said:
Excellent news - Yorkshire will host the 2019 Worlds
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/yorkshire-wins-bid...
Good for Yorkshire and it will be a real World Championship unlike what is going on in the heat of the middle Easthttp://www.cyclingnews.com/news/yorkshire-wins-bid...
It was in Doha because Eddy Merckx was involved and the UCI still fawn over Merckx, no doubt Eddy got paid handsomely by the Qataris for his "help"...
I thought it was a pretty good race though and as predicted, completely blown apart by the wind (pun intended). What was not to like? it certainly wasnt dull. Yes, for the biggest impact on the race to occur at just 80kms in though was annoying as so many big sprinters and instigators were victim one way or another and the race did lose some interest. That said, the final 20kms were interesting and set up a great finish...
How there is not a Belgian in the rainbow jersey tonight amazes me though, surely GvA or Roelandts would have gone for a final break with a few kms to go? But I am pleased for Sagan and gutted for Cav, he had Sagan's wheel and I am sure Sagan knew this and did everything he could to drop Cav, Cav then stalling behind Matthews just long enough to lose his momentum. Ah well, rubbish course next year, has Froome written all over it. Then Austria in 2018 and Yorkshire in 2019, not sure I totally agree with three European Countries in succession for the World Championships but it should result in good racing.
I thought it was a pretty good race though and as predicted, completely blown apart by the wind (pun intended). What was not to like? it certainly wasnt dull. Yes, for the biggest impact on the race to occur at just 80kms in though was annoying as so many big sprinters and instigators were victim one way or another and the race did lose some interest. That said, the final 20kms were interesting and set up a great finish...
How there is not a Belgian in the rainbow jersey tonight amazes me though, surely GvA or Roelandts would have gone for a final break with a few kms to go? But I am pleased for Sagan and gutted for Cav, he had Sagan's wheel and I am sure Sagan knew this and did everything he could to drop Cav, Cav then stalling behind Matthews just long enough to lose his momentum. Ah well, rubbish course next year, has Froome written all over it. Then Austria in 2018 and Yorkshire in 2019, not sure I totally agree with three European Countries in succession for the World Championships but it should result in good racing.
Randy Winkman said:
About 500 metres would have been adequate. Was there any point in having it there? Roll on Yorkshire.
I think there is, major cycling events have to be spread out across new and 'upcoming' markets/areas. I agree the crowds were thin on the ground but it's good that the sport of cycling is far reaching.It takes time and effort to gain momentum. Of course Europe already has a huge cycling community, but even that had to start somewhere!
Dr Imran T said:
I think there is, major cycling events have to be spread out across new and 'upcoming' markets/areas. I agree the crowds were thin on the ground but it's good that the sport of cycling is far reaching.
It takes time and effort to gain momentum. Of course Europe already has a huge cycling community, but even that had to start somewhere!
In Tom Simpsons book he describe going to somewhere like Polynesia (?)to race in an event with the stars of the time and that was probably over 50 years ago. It takes time and effort to gain momentum. Of course Europe already has a huge cycling community, but even that had to start somewhere!
johnxjsc1985 said:
Dr Imran T said:
I think there is, major cycling events have to be spread out across new and 'upcoming' markets/areas. I agree the crowds were thin on the ground but it's good that the sport of cycling is far reaching.
It takes time and effort to gain momentum. Of course Europe already has a huge cycling community, but even that had to start somewhere!
In Tom Simpsons book he describe going to somewhere like Polynesia (?)to race in an event with the stars of the time and that was probably over 50 years ago. It takes time and effort to gain momentum. Of course Europe already has a huge cycling community, but even that had to start somewhere!
The other fact is of course, that sprinters aren't going to get a look in until at least 2020 now so the likes of Cav, Greipel and Kittel may as well not bother going. I think Cav was pissed off at the finish because he knew this and because he also knew that in a straight fight he could beat Sagan but he didn't.
As the Road season draws to a close, with the Tour of Abu Dhabi we then have the CX which has been going for about a month, with 2 World Cup races already run, both in the US, and both won by Wout Van Aert.
During the coming few months the duel between Van Aert and Mathieu Van der Poel could be a classic; both World Champions, both in their early 20's and both seemingly destined for the road.
During the coming few months the duel between Van Aert and Mathieu Van der Poel could be a classic; both World Champions, both in their early 20's and both seemingly destined for the road.
Alex Langheck said:
As the Road season draws to a close, with the Tour of Abu Dhabi we then have the CX which has been going for about a month, with 2 World Cup races already run, both in the US, and both won by Wout Van Aert.
During the coming few months the duel between Van Aert and Mathieu Van der Poel could be a classic; both World Champions, both in their early 20's and both seemingly destined for the road.
Cyclo Cross should get far more coverage its a brutal sport and full of incident from the get go hopefully Eurosport will have some coverageDuring the coming few months the duel between Van Aert and Mathieu Van der Poel could be a classic; both World Champions, both in their early 20's and both seemingly destined for the road.
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